A JURY at the inquest of Emily Jordan, of Trimpley, who died during a river boarding trip in New Zealand in 2008, has been directed to return a verdict of death by misadventure.

The inquest began in Smethwick yesterday, three years after her death due to lengthy court proceedings in New Zealand.

Miss Jordan was river boarding with her boyfriend on the Kawarau River, in Queensland on April 29, 2008, when she became trapped between submerged rocks for 20 minutes and drowned.

Mad Dog River Boarding Company, which had provided the trip, carried no rope or whistle and did not use a boat and only managed to free Miss Jordan when assisted by members of another river boarding group who had rope and throw bags.

Summing up, coroner Robin Balmain said her boyfriend Jonathan Armour, the only eyewitness in court, gave a "pretty graphic description of what happened".

Mr Armour said Miss Jordan was fit, slender, a good swimmer and that she was conversant with a lot of water activities.

Mr Balmain drew the jury's attention to a riverboarding video the couple were shown before the trip.

He told the jury: "There was a jet ski featured in that video so you must consider whether there was a reasonable expectation that the jet ski would be available for rescue purposes."

When discussing the disclaimer form the couple signed before the trip, he said: "You will have to decide, members of the jury, whether there was a lack of information on the risks and whether that would have made any difference to their decision to take part in the trip."

He reminded the jury that Mr Armour had described the life jacket worn by Miss Jordan as having adjustable straps and being "a one size fits all device."

As attempts were made to pull Miss Jordan from the river, the jacket came over her head and off her body.

Her father Chris Jordan showed the court a life jacket which featured a crotch strap, which he said would have prevented that from happening.

Mr Jordan added: "If Emily had been wearing a life jacket with more buoyancy there's a high chance she wouldn't have been able to get a metre under the water and become trapped."

Mr Balmain went on to say that Mr Armour's evidence said they were told that there would be a particular part of the rapids where they would have to kick hard to keep to the right of the rocks.

In an eyewitness account read in out in court, another riverboarding tourist said: "I heard a guide shout 'She's gone down the wrong way'. I could tell there was something wrong by the tone of his voice."

A statement from the lead guide on the trip said they did not use jet skis in the rapids for fear of crushing someone.

Statements were also read out from members of Serious Fun River Surfing who came to assist Mad Dog guides in retrieving Miss Jordan's body.

It describes how six people formed a human chain and tied a noose around her body to pull her free but attempts to resuscitate her failed.

The jury has retired to consider its verdict.

More to follow.